I love how honest that guy was! I’ve tried Zouk when I did Latin dance back in the days, it is indeed quite difficult and you have to be comfortable with 0 space between your body and your partner’s. I’ve always found it kind of liberating how Latin dances normalize this kind of intimacy and close body contact for the purpose of creating beautiful movement together. But now that I have a boyfriend, I wonder if I would still feel comfortable dancing Zouk with anyone other than him tbh. It is a lot. 😂 I think you should try it once Erin!
Yes, I was taken aback (in a good way) with his vulnerability. I’ve taken kizomba, bachata & tango lessons so I get the general idea. Not sure I’ll try it though -- seems like lot of pressure. 😬 Or maybe only if I have a really patient partner. Actually my biggest problem dancing is that I always try to take the lead. 😂
Honestly, I think the word that the gentleman was actually trying to convey is connection. While hookups will happen at pretty much any kind of convention, the majority of us at these conventions are actually there to dance first. As I described in my post about how dance taught me about communication, that communication is the connection that we crave. And yes, it can often be quite intimate, and even flirty. But when the song is over, it's over.
The anxiety thing is real, especially for beginners, but the great thing about the dance is that does help you to learn how to give it through those anxieties. It took me several years to get up the courage to ask somebody else to dance. Now I can work the whole floor as both lead and a follow.
One thing that I have learned as an instructor in dance is how insecure men often are when they start to dance because they often want to be able to do it “right” from the beginning. I've had men who don't want to go to a social dance until they feel that they've gotten themselves to a point where they feel at least a little competent.
The greatest thing about this dance is I can go anywhere in the world, and dance with people who I can't even talk to, because we don't speak the same language, but we speak the language of dance. And in that way, I can connect with people anywhere in the world by just looking for a dance group.
Thanks for sharing your insights, Pam. We also talked about connecting as dancers and how that is simply part of the dance and isn't sexual at all. (And how sometimes people misinterpret the closeness.) His comment and motivation was definitely finding intimacy, which we discussed at some length.
Why on earth would your nomad friends discourage you from trying Zouk? That's like listening to your friends back home discourage you from becoming a nomad.
Yes - Very apt! Plus the festival participants were from so many different countries, I think it was one of the easier English words for most people to understand.
I love how honest that guy was! I’ve tried Zouk when I did Latin dance back in the days, it is indeed quite difficult and you have to be comfortable with 0 space between your body and your partner’s. I’ve always found it kind of liberating how Latin dances normalize this kind of intimacy and close body contact for the purpose of creating beautiful movement together. But now that I have a boyfriend, I wonder if I would still feel comfortable dancing Zouk with anyone other than him tbh. It is a lot. 😂 I think you should try it once Erin!
Yes, I was taken aback (in a good way) with his vulnerability. I’ve taken kizomba, bachata & tango lessons so I get the general idea. Not sure I’ll try it though -- seems like lot of pressure. 😬 Or maybe only if I have a really patient partner. Actually my biggest problem dancing is that I always try to take the lead. 😂
So, are you going to try zouk? Zouking?
No - Too much pressure!! 🙅Plus my festival friends definitely discouraged me from trying it out…. But said I could stop by and watch. 😂
Honestly, I think the word that the gentleman was actually trying to convey is connection. While hookups will happen at pretty much any kind of convention, the majority of us at these conventions are actually there to dance first. As I described in my post about how dance taught me about communication, that communication is the connection that we crave. And yes, it can often be quite intimate, and even flirty. But when the song is over, it's over.
The anxiety thing is real, especially for beginners, but the great thing about the dance is that does help you to learn how to give it through those anxieties. It took me several years to get up the courage to ask somebody else to dance. Now I can work the whole floor as both lead and a follow.
One thing that I have learned as an instructor in dance is how insecure men often are when they start to dance because they often want to be able to do it “right” from the beginning. I've had men who don't want to go to a social dance until they feel that they've gotten themselves to a point where they feel at least a little competent.
The greatest thing about this dance is I can go anywhere in the world, and dance with people who I can't even talk to, because we don't speak the same language, but we speak the language of dance. And in that way, I can connect with people anywhere in the world by just looking for a dance group.
Thanks for sharing your insights, Pam. We also talked about connecting as dancers and how that is simply part of the dance and isn't sexual at all. (And how sometimes people misinterpret the closeness.) His comment and motivation was definitely finding intimacy, which we discussed at some length.
Why on earth would your nomad friends discourage you from trying Zouk? That's like listening to your friends back home discourage you from becoming a nomad.
I think because I wasn't part of the festival. They did tell me about a back staircase I could access to peek inside. 👀
Love that instructors tell newbies "Glue glue."
Yes - Very apt! Plus the festival participants were from so many different countries, I think it was one of the easier English words for most people to understand.
Ha!! I’d never heard of it, Erin.
Thanks, Jeff! 😸 Portugal has a very active nomad community. Would be a great place to start your nomad life.